


A Ranger's Duty

by Rodan427



Series: Power Rangers Ninjetti [4]
Category: Power Rangers
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-18
Updated: 2016-10-22
Packaged: 2018-08-23 03:30:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 7
Words: 17,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8312302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rodan427/pseuds/Rodan427
Summary: Having left her friends, Trini seeks refuge with an old friend.  Meanwhile, Sean and Zack engage in a trial to restore their energy levels back to normal.  However their task worsens when Lord Zedd and Jason become involved.  With her friends and former teammates in peril, Trini is forced to make a crucial choice.





	1. A Place to Rest

**Author's Note:**

> Despite being a relatively short episode, this is actually my favorite one that I have written thus far. Complete with action, suspense, and drama, I think this episode encapsulates pathos, ethos, and logos. Plus, it was a joy to write. I therefore hope that you enjoy this episode. Feel free to leave kudos and comments. As always, thank you for reading my episode.

Time has always been a difficult paradox:  smooth and hard, long and short, fast and slow; dependent entirely on an individual’s perception.  It has been our constant companion throughout our lives, since before we were conceived, unveiling surprises and planned events.  And in just thirteen hours, time had revealed the trauma of truth to Trini Kwan.

Although she remembered Aisha’s murder, the truth of whether she and Jason had been married lurked out of her reach.  Regardless if she was sincere when she married him, Jason could have lied during his vows, nullifying their union.  By law and religion they were married, but not in terms of trust.  Reverting to her maiden name once more, she disbanded her vow to Jason just like she refused to use her power coin and morpher.

Unfortunately despite her defiance, both of those items were chained to her.  Shedding her dull wedding ring and Jason’s name would not vanquish her link to him, even if she legalized both.  Whether her marriage was based on a lie or not, she was bound to Jason by a seven year ordeal built atop several years of friendship.  And when Jason unlocked her mind, she had been forced to be haunted by the shattered fragments of a foreign past once sealed from her.  Beyond those, clasped to the back buckle of her pants, was her power morpher, the key to the power denied to her.  For any power ranger, it was a symbol of strength, teamwork, and grace.

However, every time its clasp touched her skin, revulsion squirmed up her back, nauseating her stomach.  Gags threatening emesis racked her body; for even though daylight surrounded her, the memory of night loomed above her and lurked beyond her sight.  Now that she was on her own, fear and anxiety quivered within her.

Hungry and tired, she trudged down Angel Grove’s streets neither watching nor caring where she was going; ignoring the aching now creeping into her ankles and calves.  She moved forward, her arms folded over her breasts, thighs squeezed together, and her neck hunched over, staring at the sidewalk.  Clinging to the new clothes she now wore, she ignored the pedestrians, even the ones that said “hello” to her.  Strangers, acquaintances, or friends, she met no one’s eye.

She wasn’t running.  Just walking—wandering, dragging her feet toward some unknown destination.  She turned left and then right.  She stayed the course, neither aware nor caring about the hours passing by.  Trini turned blindly down a city block and again at another, stopping only for traffic (sometimes surprised by it).  All the while, she followed her feet.  Or was she guided?

Not even realizing it, her feet dragged to a stop.  She stayed, frozen in her shock and pseudo-numbness as heartache filled her chest, shortening her breath.  Time yielded nothing to her senses at first.  Slowly the aching in her legs reached her brain.  She turned her head, terror seeping into her awareness, threatening to flood her.  Single floor houses and lawns stretched out along the curving roads, surrounding her.  Trini had never been here before. She lifted her head, wincing as her stiff and stretched neck muscles pushed against each other instead of relaxing.  Trini blinked.

She had stopped in front of an ordinary looking single story house.  Its rustic brick popped out from the forest framing it, while the concrete driveway curved along her right, adjacent to the front yard.  A walkway sprouted from the 6x4 ft. porch, bridging it to the driveway.  A garden of lilies, daisies, and daffodils lined it, springing warmth onto the large window mounted behind and above it.  The front door was painted in pale blue, a calm neutral amongst the masonry and wildlife, exerting an aroma of welcome and ease.

Despite this, the shadows only heightened her fear, Trini crept forward, her arms still folded in front of her.  Something pulled her toward it, though she could not identify it.  Perhaps it was instinct, but regardless, she had stopped here for a reason.  That and the house offered something that she desperately needed:  Sanctuary.

Trini limped to the porch.

 

* * *

 

Kimberly walked along her balance beam to the end of it, focusing on her routine.  _Hop on third step,_ she chanted. _Step again and spin._   Her technique was flawless—perfect textbook.  _Except… that’s the problem._   She halted.  _Coach Schmidt would be shaking his head right now_.

Kimberly had executed these routines multiple times in the past.  Even when exhausted once when practicing for her first Olympic tryout, she had chosen to do the same technique to test her limits.  She passed.

No.  What was missing was spirit—drive, emotion.  Sighing, she leaned backwards from her waist, curving into a perfect handstand.  Body fully aligned, she released a grunt.

Her passion was gone.  There was nothing driving her except perfection.  This wasn’t what her body desired to focus on.  As her blood drained into her head, she inhaled, allowing the rest of the morning to wash over her.

None of her teammates had been happy to hear that Trini had refused to be a ranger, all except for Sean.  Though stating that he was unsure of what the future would bring, he maintained that he had faith in Trini, and that it was important that she find her path.  Having been a puppet for the past six and a half years and not her completed self, it was vital that she discover who she was.  Only then, could she face Jason with integrity and dignity.  Once she was armed with both, she would be far stronger than she had been all those years ago.

Torn between sympathy and duty, it had been a struggle to let her go, fearful that Jason, Zedd, and Rita would hunt her.  However, Sean stated that since Jason had not abducted her during their zord battle, she would be safe for a time.  Plus, she had her communicator with her.  Agreeing that it was a gamble, but reminding them that most of life was a gamble, Sean said that they needed to trust in her.  Simply because she had been traumatized for a fourth of her life was not reason to hold her from the world or rob her of her independence and liberty.  Depression was perfectly normal for her situation—even thoughts of suicide.  Sean reminded them that having those thoughts were not the same as proceeding with the actions, nor was escapism the same thing even though at first it appeared to be.

By this point, Billy had awoken too, rested after his unwelcomed nap.  After Sean instructed Tommy, Rocky, and Adam in remotely conjuring people through teleportation, he rejuvenated his fatigued body through draining Billy’s excess energy.

Seeing that it was almost eight o’clock, they decided that the best thing to do now was to go to their jobs, but would check in regularly.  As Billy had suspected, none of his friends enjoyed being hunted.  However, given that he did not have a job yet on earth, he volunteered to keep tabs on Kimberly via Tommy’s DinoThunder Lab.  Tommy unfortunately replied that he had only cleaned it up after Zeltrax had destroyed the interior months ago, seeing only to structural repairs; not bothering to repair the systems since all of the dinozord eggs had been found and hatched.  Billy smiled, promising that he could probably get the place running again if he had an original blueprint of it.  “What good is a power ranger team without a Command Center?” Billy had joked.  Agreeing, Tommy said he’d print out a copy of his plans and see if Haley, his technical adviser and friend, would help them. 

With that, the rest of the team teleported away to their individual lives.  Not wanting to get fired for being late to the Surf Spot, Zack teleported with Rocky and Adam to their Academy.  Thankfully, Zack’s job was near the Academy.

Remembering these details, Kimberly spun around with perfect flair and balance, her heart set.  _The power rangers are back,_ she thought, allowing the phrase to sink in.  “Ready or not, we can’t be distracted by worry.”  Striding forward towards the balance beam’s edge, she launched into the air into a perfect split, landing right in her center of gravity, never wavering or hesitating.  Sinking into a relevé, she front flipped off of the edge, landing gracefully on the mat of her practice room in strong form, passion warming her heart.

“Okay, time for the gym,” she decided. 

Just because evil was back in her life, did not mean she had to give up on her life.  She had trained too hard to achieve her successes:  The Pan Global Games, the Olympics, and various competitions in between.  Gymnastics was her element, and she would flourish through this struggle with it.


	2. Returning to Normal

When Zack strode into the weight-lifting room of Angel Grove’s Surf Spot, formerly called the Youth Center, his eyes and ears snapped to the nearest TV upon hearing the broadcast.  Having already attracted most of the clientele and staff in the room, the volume had been turned up, filling the enormous room.  Upon looking at Goldar and Scorpina attacking the Phoenixzord, Zack’s mouth dropped.

_“While little is known as to what caused the reemergence of two of Angel Grove’s infamous attackers,”_ continued the female reporter, _“It is reassuring to know that the Power Rangers have returned to safeguard the citizen’s of Angel Grove, including the emergence of a new ranger—”_  The TV froze on the Phoenixzord for a moment as it soared over the battles and then resumed its footage, cutting back and forth from the battle with the Skunk also. _“—possibly linked with the unexplainable disappearance of the original Green Ranger more than ten years ago.  More information will be provided as it develops.  What shocked many bystanders and observers of the battles this morning was the lack of a unified megazord or of the presence of the Bearzord.”_

_“I distinctly remember there being a Bearzord when the rangers were using those animal zords, even though it was a decade ago,”_ said a thirty year old woman.  _“I was surprised to not see it.  I mean, if the other zords are back, like that tank thing, then where’s the yellow bear?”_

_“Other’s expressed similar concern,”_ commented the reporter.

_This is insane!_ thought Zack, digging his fingers into his palms as his face tightened.  _The media is going all out on this!_

“Hey, Zack!” called a male voice.

Zack cocked his head in the voice’s direction.  “Hey, Scott,” he replied, to his 27 year old fellow staff member.  He was a little shorter than Zack but broadly toned with short blond hair and green eyes.  They clasped hands.

“Good to see you buddy,” Scott said.  “Can you believe this?”

“No,” Zack admitted, covering up and soothing his panic as quickly as possible.  “It’s crazy.  No wonder traffic was so bad today.  That’s why I was late.”

“Don’t sweat it.  People are panicking.  This stuff hasn’t happened around here in about five—six years, you know?”

“Yeah, I guess that makes sense.”

“And with the economy’s recession where it is, property insurance is going to be next to impossible to maintain.”

Realization snapped into focus within Zack.  His jaw dropped in outrage.  _That’s why he attacked now!_ He thought, gagging as he remembered to hold his tongue—a bit of a chore at the moment due to his shock.

“You okay?” Scott asked, eyeing him.

“Yeah,” Zack covered, clearing his throat.  “I’m just shocked.”

“I suppose we’d be fools to not be.”

“Right.  Hey, is my client here yet?” He added, remembering he had an appointment at 8:30am and the time was five till then.

“Yeah, she’s over there.” Scott pointed over at the cardiovascular machines.

Zack saw her, a thirty year old woman of average build trying to find a good balance between her fat and muscle.  Lately, she had started yoga which had yielded superb results toward her goal.

“Thank you,” Zack said, darting off to her.  A distraction was exactly what he needed now.  Apparently the media was out for blood which made sense.  Other cities had been attacked over the years and the media profits had been booming there while Angel Grove’s had steadily dwindled while not dying.  Now that they had an opportunity to score more profits, they were going to milk this case for all its worth.  _Everyone is trying to make a living nowadays—one reason why I’m part time now.  And now this?_   Zack had a funny suspicion stirring in his gut that the media was not going to be as accommodating as they had been last time by not trying to figure out the power rangers’ identities.  The times had definitely changed.

_Bulk and Skull would have loved to have joined forces with these people in the old days,_ Zack silently commented.  _Back when they were trying to find out who we were.  Thank God they aren’t nowadays._

Zack sighed and spray painted a smile on his face, hoping that it would inject him with good humor.  It didn’t.  Regardless, he extended his hand to his client.  “Good morning, Ms. Samson.  How are you this morning?”

“Well, as can be expected,” Ms. Samson replied.  “My hip has been sore since yesterday, so I was wondering if we could take it a bit easy today.”

“Of course,” Zack replied, dropping his fake smile.  If he was going to get through the day, honesty was a better and less stressful way of doing so.  Zack’s good humor would bounce back soon or later.  “Do you think you sprained or pulled a muscle?”

“Probably the latter,” she said.

“Okay,” Zack examined the hip.  “Do you still have normal range of motion?”

“Yes, but it hurts.”

“Oh, let’s see if we can loosen it up with a light jog and then try to stretch it out with some light yoga.”

“Sure.  I’ll let you know if you if it gets worse.”

“Sounds good.  Hopefully it’ll feel when we’re done.”

Smiling back at him, she stepped onto the treadmill.

Zack stayed silent beside her, praying for the self-control to keep his nerves in line.

 

* * *

 

 

In Reefside High School, Tommy passed through his morning classes relatively well, seeing as his friend had almost died and Trini had walked out on him and the team.  Though he conducted each of his lessons professionally and answered questions correctly, he felt he was missing a step here and there.  Once or twice during each period he would lose his train of thought in a lecture, or give the wrong answer to a question, or be unable to comment on a particular student’s progress on an experiment.  By the time lunch period rolled by, he was already wishing that today had been a test giving day. 

Sighing in content at his now empty classroom, he dug out a tuna fish sandwich.  Sitting at his desk, he took a bite, enjoying the taste.

“Dr. Oliver?” asked a female adult.

Surprised, Tommy jumped out of his chair.  “Oh, Principal Randell,” he sighed, relaxing partially.  “It’s you.”

The slightly smaller woman stood in the doorway, tapping her knuckles on the opened door.  Her suave, beautiful black hair hung in a ponytail down her neck.  “May I talk to you for a moment in private?” she asked, eyeing him with professional concern.  She carried a mug of coffee.

“Please,” Tommy said, gestured to the edge of his desk, his heartbeat steadying.  “I’d welcome it.”

Closing the door, she approached him.  “For you,” she said, handing him the mug.

“Thanks.”  Gasping the mug, he Tommy sipped from it.  “Mmm.  Good blend.”

She nodded in thanks.

“I take it this wasn’t in the teachers’ lounge.”

“No.  It’s a personal blend I brewed in my office.  Tommy,” she began, not losing her compassionate demeanor but a degree of seriousness crept into her voice.  “I’ve been hearing from several students that you’ve been distracted throughout the morning.  Is there something I should know about?”

Tommy gazed at her, unsure if he should divulge the truth.  Sure, Elsa knew that he had been a power ranger before due to her mind enslavement to Mesogog.  But after she had been freed, she had become a friend and confidant.  Regardless, he hesitated.  Zordon’s rules echoed in his mind: the right to handle the power he owned again.  However, it was more than that.  Originally, no one was supposed to know who the identities of any power ranger team, either current or retired.  Even though Elsa and her boyfriend, Anton Mercer, an old friend and old colleague of Tommy’s, knew about his ranger past, Tommy still treaded water in confessing his problems.  “I’ve just had a bad morning,” he compromised with a half truth.  “That’s all.”

“Tommy, I overheard a student say you referred to a Stegosaurus as an Apatosaurus in your second period class while looking directly at the picture,” she pointed out, “something I’m sure you would know the difference between in your sleep.”

Knowing he was caught, Tommy sighed and nodded.  “You’re right.  I’ve been deeply distracted, almost preoccupied.”

“Because of the broadcasts?” she asked.

“Yeah.  I was there, Elsa,” Tommy replied, looking her in the eye.  “That was me in the Falconzord.”

Elsa nodded again, signaling her understanding.  “And the reporters’ suspicions about digging into the rangers’ histories?”

“Or our identities?  We never did much with the press back then.  And as far as I can tell, no ranger team ever has.”

“It’s a bad environment we’re in.”

“Elsa, this could get nasty very quickly and hurt our mission.”

“Which is?”

“Protecting the earth from a very dangerous threat.” 

Elsa pursed her lips.  She wanted to know more, Tommy was sure of this, but she straightened her face.  “Is there anything I can do?” she asked.

“Just know that I might need a substitute soon or a replacement.”

“I’d hate to fire you, Tommy, or see you quit.  You have a natural talent for encouraging students and it would be a shame if you left that.”

Tommy took in a deep breath.  “I hope it doesn’t come to that, Elsa.  Thank you again for the coffee.”

“You’re welcome.” She crossed to the door.  “Dr. Oliver, I might be able to get you a replacement for some of your classes.  Possibly afternoons?  I’ve been receiving several résumés over the past few months, most of them highly reputable.  Let me make a few calls.”

“Thank you,” Tommy said, gratitude swelling within him.

“You’re welcome.  I’ll be in touch,” she said, grasping the door handle.  “Should I tell Anton to expect a call from you?”

Tommy shook his head.  “No, I don’t think Anton could help with this.  But that reminds me I do need to make a call.  Private, please.”

She smiled.  Exiting, she closed the door behind her.

Tommy pulled up his left sleeve and tapped Billy’s button on his communicator.  “Billy, did Haley meet up with you yet?”

_“Yeah, she’s here,”_ Billy responded.  _“We’ve been working for the better part of the morning.  I think you’ll like what we’ve done.”_

_“Tommy, I had to reroute a lot of the internal wiring but it’ll be more efficient this way,”_ Haley supplied.  Judging from the static, she was across the room.

“Sounds like you guys have been making progress?” Tommy asked.

_“We’re close to completion on the surveillance equipment,”_ Billy said.  _“All we need to do now is a face lift and reboot some other programs.”_

“Good.  Have you guys heard—?”

_“The news?”_ Haley interrupted, her voice coming in clearer as she had moved closer to Billy.  _“I’m way ahead of you on that and can definitely say that most of those reporters meant every word they said and inferred earlier.”_

“Damn, that’s exactly what we need now,” Tommy sighed, shaking his head again.

_“Well, Tommy, that wasn’t your classic zord battle this morning.  Six zords and no megazord, plus a completely new zord!  The News is having a field day with this.  But then again, we can hope that those are only intentions.”_

Tommy glared.   Breathing in, he blew out most of his frustration with his breath while the rest stayed knotted under his cheek bones.  There was more he needed to be concerned with than just a bunch of greedy reporters.  “How’s Sean doing?”

_“I’m doing well, Tommy,”_ Sean answered in a bright voice from his communicator.  _“Thank you for asking.”_

“That’s good to hear,” Tommy sighed.  “Have there been any more attacks or activity?” Tommy asked, although realizing his question was useless.  The absence of any of the rangers contacting him meant that there had not been any since this morning.

_“Negative,”_ Billy said.  _“Trust me, we’ll get through this.”_

“I do.  I’ll see you guys after school’s out.”

_“We’ll be here.”_

_“Oh, Tommy, don’t worry about me being here all day,”_ Haley added. _“Trent has no classes today so he’s filling in.”_

Tommy smiled.  Trent being assistant manager at the Cyber Café had its benefits.  _Leave it to Haley to think of everything,_ Tommy thought.  “You’ve been hanging around me too much,” he said, cracking a grin.  “I appreciate it, Haley.”  Lowering his arms, he collapsed into the back of his chair.  He sighed as the events of the last seventeen hours washed over him again.  He groaned.  “It’s going to take more than a cup of coffee to get through this day,” he said, sipping some more.  “But we will.  Mmmm.”  He peered at the cup.  “I’m gonna have to ask Elsa where she got this blend from.”  Remembering his sandwich, he grabbed it and crammed a mouthful into his mouth.

 

* * *

 

 

Back in Angel Grove, a black 2004 Acura sedan rolled up to the forest framed house.

Still sitting on the porch, Trini stirred, staring at it.  Fear and longing battled within her.  _What if this doesn’t work?_ she asked for the thirty-eighth time.  Unfortunately, she was sure the driver had seen her so she could not slip away now.  However, anxiety hovered in her chest, spilling into her gut as fumes wafted in her head.  Regardless, Trini stood, keeping her arms crossed over her breasts.

The driver parked his car, turned the engine off, and opened his door.

Trini steeled herself, too nervous for talking.  Regardless, she was glad to see the familiar face.

Richie Rowen peered at her from behind the door, squinting in the midday sun.  Except for a fuller and more defined face, he had not changed much since high school.  Still fit, if not fitter now due to being a PE teacher and soccer coach, benevolence and kindness radiated from him just like before.

“Trini?” he asked.  His voice was unsteady.  Stepping around the door, he shut it, and walked over to her.  “Wow, this is a surprise.”

Looking away, Trini bit her lip.  _Please don’t see me like this,_ she thought before stopping herself.

“Trini?” Richie asked again, this time steadier.  “What’s wrong?”

Trini took in a big breath.  “May I come in?” she asked, finally looking at him.

“Of course,” he said, reaching a hand around her shoulder.

Shuddering, she scampered away from it.

“I’m sorry,” Richie began.  His face was alarmed.

Regret speared through Trini.  “It’s not your fault.  Can we please go inside?”

“Yeah, sure,” he said, unlocking and opening the door.  Stepping back, he gestured for her to enter. 

Jerking her head around, her body following, she stepped forward one foot at a time, reaching out no further than a foot length.


	3. Reality

Richie closed the front door, watching Trini.  He had never seen her like this before:  knotted, twitchy, silent but festered, and beyond all of that… lost.  There was no strength within her—or grace.  Whenever he saw or remembered her that was what highlighted her like an angel’s halo.  And yet she was also the most grounded person he had ever known, yet could fight whenever she wanted to.  His high school crush over her had never faded like many are rumored to.  Instead his affection for her had deepened—seasoned, like white tea slowly boiled at the right heat, and without leaving the tea bags in for too long.  Therefore, when he saw Trini in this diminished and wounded shell of her former greatness, he froze his hands to his sides so as to not alarm her.  But he wanted to hold her, to let her know that he was there for her.  Instead he remained a gentleman.

“Can I get you anything?” he asked.

“No,” she muttered. 

“Okay,” he said.  Passing her, he walked to the kitchen at the end of the foyer.

“Actually…” she called out.

Just stepping into the doorway, he spun around, gazing at her, a yearning in his soul.

“A tea… please.”

He smiled, relief swaying over him.  “Sure.  How about some red tea?  Come on in the kitchen; I’ll make us some.”

Bowing her head, she crept toward the table.

 

* * *

 

Up on the moon, Jason peered at Trini, leaning one handed on the balcony rail.  “What are you up to, Trini?” he pondered.  “What is the Bear telling you?”  Knowing it was almost impossible for an outsider to listen to another person’s Sacred Animal, he had not tried to probe hers.

“As long as she has that power coin, she will have the option of morphing,” Lord Zedd supplied, approaching Jason from behind.  “We must make sure that does not happen.”

“She won’t morph,” Jason said, not looking at Zedd.  “The Power disgusts her.  All she wants is to escape.”  He paused, running through their plan once more.  “Keep your attention on Zack and Sean.  They must fail.”

“As you command, my Lord.”

“Leave the others to me.”

 

* * *

 

 

The mug rested before her, exhaling calming steam.  Its fragrance wafted into her nose.

Even so, hesitation clung to her but she dismissed it, listening to the trust that vibrated within her heart, pushing her forward.  She trusted Richie.  He, like his house, offered her safety and seclusion from the events of the day.

Trini set the steaming tea cup down, enjoying the sweet after taste from the honey Richie had supplied.  It perked her up a bit, along with the hairs down her arms.  In the jumbled mess of her mind, she was not sure if she had had this type of tea before or not.  For the first time this morning she felt a semblance of being alive.

“Can I get you anything else?” Richie asked, staring into her eyes from across the kitchen table, holding a tuna sandwich in hand.

“I’m fine,” she remarked automatically.  The words stung the underside of her core as she said them.  Squeezed tear ducts begged to drain once more.  Instead she blinked, never releasing her visual hold on the mahogany table.

“Excuse me for saying this, but you don’t look like it.”

 _I guess not,_ she responded silently.  She did not flinch.  “Can I stay here for a while?” she asked in a voice slightly louder than a whisper.

Richie paused in mid-bite, gawking at her.  He lowered his sandwich after a moment.  “It’s fine with me,” he said, clearing his throat.  “I was wondering why you weren’t with Jason.”

“Jason…” she began, but halted.  Again, phantom tears fought to materialize.  She looked away. 

“I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean to—offend; did I?”

“No.  It’s just a long story.  Jason has been gone for a week.”

“Oh, I see.  You’re lonely.”  He cocked a smile, trying to joke.

 _Alienated actually_ , Trini meanwhile commented, knowing he could not hear her.  Without even trying to smirk, she responded.  “I don’t think that’s the appropriate word.”

“Oh.” Richie dropped his gaze, along with his voice.  “I’m sorry.  It’s just—I have to ask, Trini—because I care.”

She looked at him, bracing for the question.

Taking a deep breath, Richie peered into her eyes.  “Were you assaulted?” he asked.

She gulped, almost vomiting, but kept her mouth sealed.  Her eyes almost popped out.

Richie surveyed her, resting his chin over his clasped hands, his elbows pressing into the table.  Despite his calm composure, he never looked away from her eyes.  “You were, weren’t you?”

Trini turned her head from him, presenting only a sliver of her face to him.  “Molested,” she whispered, pushing the syllables out of her throat.

“Oh, my God!” Richie gasped, his voice barely audible.  “I guess a hug’d be inappropriate.”

“For the time.”

Richie stared into her eyes, swaying his head from side to side.  “I am so sorry you went through that.”

She vomited a laugh.  “I still can’t believe it.”

“You can stay as long as you want,” Richie swore.  He kept scanning her face with his eyes.  “It was more than assault, wasn’t it?”

A shudder raced up her back and arms.  “I can’t say.” she said, shifting in her chair.

Richie furrowed his brow.  “Have you told the police?”  A second later, he rushed over to the phone.

“I haven’t told anyone.”  That was the truth.  Sean and Billy had informed the others why Trini had screamed last night, while she desperately tried fighting Jason off.  She might as well have swatted a twig at a hippopotamus though.  “Richie, please, _don’t_ call them!  They can’t do anything more!”

“That’s what everyone—”

“Don’t!”  She vomited the command from her stomach, but nevertheless touched by Richie’s compassion and sensitivity.  No amount of police force could stop Jason.  In order to save lives, she would have to keep her rape a secret even though it ripped her composure to do so.

Richie stood there, his thumb resting on the “9” button.  His torso and arms rigid, he squeezed his eyes shut, stiffening his neck as he leaned forward.  Slowly he turned his gaze to her, clenching his jaw together.  “We need to report this,” he said softly.

“We can’t.”  Talons of vile abhorrence clawed her insides at this lie.  She knew it was foolish to pursue legal action.

“Trini, this guy needs to be locked up.”

“Richie, please do what I say!” she snapped with the undertone of a whine, though scraping up shreds of dignity.

Still, Richie hesitated, no doubt torn with indecision at what the greater good was for this situation.  Even now, she knew him well.  That confirmation helped ease her.  Sighing, he set the phone down.  “Alright.”

She relaxed. “Thank you.”  Relief glimmered in Trini.  Unfortunately, it was trampled over by the horror of her truth.  She could not seek human justice in a crime like this.  And the fact that she could not do anything now tore at her throat.  She gritted her teeth.

Richie glanced at the clock.  “Shit, I need to get back to Angel Grove High in fifteen minutes.  Do you mind if I…”  His words fled from him in his frenzy.

“Go ahead.  I’ll survive.”

He rushed over to the counter, scribbling on a note pad.  “This is my cell number and the neighbors’ and the school in case my cell dies.  It shouldn’t but you never know.  Call me or them if you need anything.” He added looking at her, his eyelids stretched back in seriousness.

“Thank you.”  She smiled internally.  Richie was the same as he had been in high school, talking too much when we got nervous.

“I’ll be back by 3:20.  I promise.” He yelled, hastening out the front door.

Looking towards him, she waved halfheartedly.  The door slammed shut.  The locks clicked. 

She sighed.  At last she could be with her own thoughts again.  Picking up the tea cup, she held it inches from her mouth.

Moments passed into untold time as she sat neither waiting nor enjoying the moment as rare thoughts drifted into the wind.  Crime and shame covered and clogged her skin, her muscles—sinking into her organs.  Even her nerves shuddered.  All of her had been raped, not just her mind, vagina, and breasts.  The psychological odor blocked up her nostrils, blocking the tea.  It didn’t matter to her.  She had forgotten the tea.  Indecision wafted back and forth within her as her will seeped out of her feet.

Finally remembering the tea, she looked down.  Its steaming had long abated.  Trying to catch a whiff of its refreshing fragrance, she sniffed.  The tea had no smell anymore. Instead, wafts of rape swept up into her nose.  Gagging she rolled her head towards the clock.

1:44pm.

Trini had been sitting here for over an hour since Richie left.  Grasping the back of her chair, she pushed herself up, shuffling out of the kitchen to the hallway and leaving the tea on the table.  Her pelvis still hurt.

Though it had been a long time since she had visited, she remembered where his bathroom was.  The exterior of the house had changed somewhat though, fogging her vague memory of it, especially in her state.

Shutting the door out of habit, she disrobed, throwing her garments to the floor with disgust.  Each article of clothing, no matter how clean it had been or was, was now tainted, stamped with the violence and evil Jason had stained her body with.  She sneered, anger condensing underneath her depression like a humid haze, burning the fog away for now.

Trini did not look at herself in the mirror, knowing exactly where the blackening bruises disfigured her skin.  The pain from them had not ebbed.  Had she been X-rayed, she would not be surprised if her ribs and pelvis had been at least cracked.  Still, she would not look at the massive hand shaped bruise along her ribs.

Sitting on the outside of the tub, she turned the facet, feeling the water flow over her outstretched hand.  Trini listened to it, the sound of the earth inside a human construction, rushing over the dullness of her mind.  Closing her eyes, she swayed side to side, surrendering to the power and majesty of this beautiful gift given to all living beings on Earth by Creation.

Feeling it warm enough, she flipped the shower toggle, and the water sprayed above.  Rising, she stepped in, ignoring the shower curtain.  Though enclosed in this sanctuary from the outside world, further entrapment fed her anxiety, horror, and revulsion.  Deciding to blot up any puddles with another towel, she turned her back to the door.

The water sprayed, bounced off, and sprayed again and again, pushing loose layers of grime off her skin. 

Unfortunately, the odor remained.  Stubborn and deep rooted, it clung to her body, unwilling to let go.  Smelling it afresh, her stomach churned.  She pushed down the vomit.

Driving her fingers through her now soaked, thick hair, she pulled apart the many knots.  She stepped away from the water.  Pouring some shampoo into her hand, she worked it through her hair, cleansing every centimeter she could.  Without rinsing her hair, she rubbed her body down with a bar of soap.  Though she preferred body wash, none was available so she kept rubbing and scrubbing her skin, sanding the odor and dried sweat off it.  Taking care to rub gently and thoroughly over her ribs and hips, she covered her entire body in soap.  Finally, she stepped underneath the water, shivering with dry sobs as it washed down her, blasting away the soap.  The odor remained.

Teary eyed, she scrubbed again.

 

* * *

 

 

Seven full body scrubs later, she exited the bathroom wrapped in a towel, dragging her clothes behind her.  Ignoring her hair, she let it lay loose down her back, the top of the towel soaking up some of its moisture.  Trudging forward, she ambled to Richie’s laundry room, further down the hall from the foyer and kitchen.

The familiar fog of indecision and apathy secreted by her depression once again wrapped around her, swallowing her thoughts.  Automation navigated her into the annexed laundry room where another door led to an outside patio along the north side of the house.  Opening the washer and seeing it was empty, she dumped her clothes in, poured some detergent inside it, adjusted the settings, and switched it on.

She backed up, staring at the machine, wishing she could clean herself as easily.  Trini had scrubbed herself so much that scratch marks were visible along her arms.  Neither the soap nor water removed the stain of Jason’s sin.  As she listened to the washer running, she wished she had burned her clothes instead, feeling they were poisoned by being close to her skin but at the same time, she wanted to be covered.  The towel was not enough.  Legs quivering, she crumpled onto the floor in a ball, relinquishing more tears and sobs. 

Surprise popped in the back of her mind, believing she was tired of crying.  Still she cried on, vomiting up dry heaves.  Even after the vomiting and tears stopped, she kept sobbing, begging for God to take her shame away.


	4. Action and Strategy

Tommy’s mouth fell open when he beheld the basement lair at 4:25 that afternoon.  Broad and wide as it had been before the additions and changes had been implemented, the scene welcomed him as a power ranger.  Four metallic columns surrounded by rings of blinking, jutting, descending neon colored light, winged the empty floor in the four alcoves.  In the center of the floor was painted the Mighty Morphin’ Lighting Bolt.  Directly ahead, on a dais of three wide brick steps, the command station was nothing more than two large widescreen computer monitors hooked up to keyboards and modems.  Though the walls and ceiling were the same tan and cream colors as the year before, the homage to Zordon’s Command Center was haunting.

“Tommy, this is your place?” Rocky exclaimed from behind.  The others shared other gestures of astonishment.

“Minus those columns and the emblem on the floor,” Tommy finally spoke.  In fact all of the DinoThunder footprint symbols had been replaced with the Mighty Morphin’ Lightning symbol.

“We thought they would be a nice touch,” Billy supplied from the side.  Sean stood beside him.  “Give us a sense of the old days.”

“And what we’re fighting now,” Haley chimed in, greeting them at the door

Tommy opened his mouth to object but Haley stared him down.

“Tommy, you don’t just ask for a day’s worth of help and then tell me to sit on the sidelines for the rest of the year.  I’m a part of this.”

Sighing, he nodded.  Haley was Haley.

“There’s still more we’d like to add but we have most of the equipment up now,” Billy continued.

“This—this is amazing!” Tommy exclaimed, allowing his shock to take over.  “It looks better than before.”

“Well, we still need to update some of this software,” Haley reported.  “I had to replace a lot of our old stuff when Zeltrax trashed the place.” The breath of a snarl traveled under her words.  Zeltrax had demolished Tommy’s DinoThunder Lab, a place she had devoted and poured gallons of energy, sweat, and time into.  To say that she was upset when she saw the damage was an understatement.  “What do you think?” she added flashing a smile.

“It’s incredible.” Kimberly said, awed.

“Thank you,” Haley chirped, hoping that this time it would survive the year.  _We can hope,_ she thought.

“Everyone, this is Haley,” Tommy announced.  “Haley, this is Rocky, Adam, Kimberly, and Zack.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet all of you,” she said, smiling at all of them in turn.  Tommy was sure that she had goose bumps meeting everyone.

“You said there was more to be done?” Tommy asked, looking at Billy.  “What did you mean?”

“Installing the same security that was in the original Command Center and Power Chamber,” Sean answered from the side.  “Making it a sanctuary of Good.”

“Is that possible?” Rocky asked.

“Yes,” Sean answered simply.  “It will take time for us to do that, though.”

“Thanks to Billy’s and Sean’s help,” Haley continued, “I was able to duplicate the surveillance equipment we had and expand its range to Angel Grove.  I’ll be honest:  we’re not at a hundred percent yet.”

“It’s more than what we had yesterday, Haley,” Tommy said, crossing over and hugging her.  “Thank you.”

“Oh, it was fun,” Haley chirped again, forcing a smile.  “Mostly.”

Tommy eyed her, noting the sarcasm in her voice.

Just then a buzzer chimed three times from the workspace.  “Looks like we got this running not a moment too soon,” Haley said, hurrying over to the monitor.

The others followed in her wake.

“I knew he wouldn’t go away,” Tommy muttered under his breath.  Haley tapped a button and a patrol of grayish putties wobbled and hopped through a mass of civilians in Angel Grove Park come up on one of the monitors.

“Putties?” Zack sighed.  “Yesterday:  Gargoyles.  This morning:  monsters… and now putties.  Jason’s working us backwards.”

Many of the others nodded.  Tommy flinched upon hearing Jason’s name, having still not gotten over their conversation the previous evening.  “Not exactly how I wanted to start the weekend,” he muttered under his breath.

Beside him, Sean merely stared at the screen, gazing at the putties.  _Two attacks in one day,_ he mused.    Worry and suspicion pricked in the recesses of his mind.  Acknowledging them but staying objective, he mused.

“Wait, those look different,” Rocky pointed out.  “Sean, are these the ones you were talking about earlier?”

“They are,” Sean said, still musing.  True to his word, the putties were dark gray fusions of Rita’s super putties and Zedd’s white body suited putties with silver _Z_ s tattooed on their chests instead of on circular emblems.  “They have no weak spots.”

“What about the special weapons we used against the super putties the first time?” Zack asked.

“Ineffective,” Sean replied.

“I don’t care if they’re invincible; we need to help those people,” Tommy said, moving down the dais.  The others followed him.

“You’ll need Zack and me on this,” Sean said, ushering Zack away from the group, “But not before Zack finishes his trial.”

Silent shock possessed Zack for a few seconds but he then uttered, “Now?  Wait; when did it start?”

“It started the moment I gave you your powers,” Sean said.  “Trini’s also.  However, yours cannot wait anymore.”

“But Trini isn’t using her morpher,” Kimberly reminded them.  “Wouldn’t that help?”

“Yeah, and what about what we did this morning?” Zack asked, referring to the energy harmonization among the three of them.

“No, because of her indecision, my ranger energy is in a state of flux,” Sean said.  “If we can eliminate Zack’s dependency on me, then that will help my powers as well.”

“Making us stronger,” Rocky added.

“Exactly.”

Meanwhile, Billy narrowed his eyes at Sean, worry pawing at him.  This was a risky move for them.

Zack sucked in a lungful of air and then sighed, letting his agitation ride along with the air.  “When I get my full powers, Jason’s gonna feel sorry he messed up our day!”

“Patience, Zack,” Sean soothed.  “We have much to do before then.  The rest of you must handle those putties the best ways possible.”  Tommy looked Sean in the eye, both of them understanding this was a mission they could not fail in.  “We will return.  Are you ready?” he added to Zack.

The silver ranger sighed.  “Yes,” he said.

“Then take my hand,” Sean said, extending it forward.

Zack took it.  At contact, small sparks of green energy passed from Sean’s forearm into Zack’s arm.

“So are we going to Phaedos?” Zack asked.

“Not exactly,” Sean answered as they dematerialized and teleported through the ceiling as green and silver columns.

Tommy paused for a moment, and then darted his gaze at Haley.  “Haley, how many putties are attacking?”

“There are thirty putties in the park,” she answered.  “Who knows how many Jason has in supply.”

“Great!  Billy, you up for this?” Tommy asked, surveying his friend.

“Affirmative,” he said, perseverance lining his eyes.

“Okay.  It’s Morphin’ Time!  Falcon Ninjetti Power!”

“Crane Ninjetti Power!”

“Wolf Ninjetti Power!”

“Ape Ninjetti Power!”

They shot through the roof as teleportation streaks, echoing the memories of their glory days.

Haley sat in her chair, charged with joy.  _Never thought I would see that,_ she beamed.  _Now all we need is a seventh ranger, and we’ll have a full team._ “One thing at a time,” she sighed, turning back to the computer monitor.  “I hope this works.”

 

* * *

 

 

Meanwhile, Zack and Sean materialized in a grassy meadow between a mountain ledge and a forest.  Less than twenty feet ahead of them, a thick fog of dense, warm, greenish steam spewed into the sky above a campfire.

“Where are we?” Zack asked, surveying the environment.

“Mt. Rogers, southern Virginia; a few miles off the Appalachian Trail,” Sean said.  He gestured toward the campfire.

Zack stared there for a while, an unknown longing holding his gaze.

“Zack,” Sean asked.  The other looked at Sean.  “Let’s go over there.”

Taking one step at a time, Zack walked toward the fog-like steam as if weightless.  As he moved closer Zack saw a tiny cauldron suspended by a tripod over a clear fire.  Feeling Sean’s hand on his shoulder, Zack halted a foot from the fire ring.

Sean knelt before the fire.  Casually, he reached into the steam bath and removed the lid of the burning pot.  “It’s ready,” he said, peering through the steam at a churning emerald green potion.  Streams of silver glimmered underneath the surface.  Zack’s eyes stretched with shock as Sean grasped the sides of the pot with his hands and removed the pot from the tripod.  Neither a moan nor wince escaped Sean’s lips.  His muscles remained relaxed and calm.  Without another word, Sean poured the potion onto the flames extinguishing them instantly, leaving no ignited embers.  The lingering steam wafted away into the wind.

“What did you do that for?” Zack exclaimed, gaping at the ashes.  They were dry!

“Patience,” Sean whispered, scooping a handful of dry, stone gray ashes into his hand.  “Don’t worry about my hand, Zack.  The ashes have no heat.”  He spun upward, facing Zack.

Zack’s face was a question mark, gawking at Sean’s unscathed hands.

“Take a deep breath,” Sean instructed in a breathy voice, while staring into Zack’s eyes.  “Breathe in deeper than you ever have before.  Clear your mind.”

Zack obeyed, although unsure why he did.  There was something within him that told him to be calm.  It was not an order but more of a suggestion.  He trusted it.  This was about faith not fact.

“Good,” Sean whispered.  “Shut your eyes and breathe in this scent,” Sean added, holding the ashes under Zack’s nose.

Zack did not understand what was going on.  Nevertheless he could not ignore the benevolent presence within him telling him it was alright.  In his mind, Zack clambered down a deep cave, past the extent of the sun’s light with his guide always outside of his sight.  Yet somehow, Zack knew which direction it was going.  Nevertheless, Zack could not figure out where that knowledge was coming from and that made his head spin.

“Trust me,” Sean implored in a whisper.   “Trust yourself.  Trust your Animal.”

Zack looked up into Sean’s eyes and was reminded of when he had found Sean the previous night outside of Kimberly’s house.  Just like then, behind the anguish and exhaustion, stars of true benevolence blazed with inner power.  Putting his trust in faith, Zack closed his eyes and breathed in the scent.

To Zack’s surprise, they did not smell like ashes.   The scent of grass, moldy bark, damp leaves, moist dirt, and damp stone flowed up his nose, soothing his anxiety.  It was the scent of a forest after a summer shower—of home.  But it was not his home.  It belonged to someone else.  Or did it?  It was familiar to him, but recollection escaped him.  Zack had never lived in a lush forest.

Sean smiled with content, sensing the debate wrestling inside Zack.  Bringing his hand close to his lips, he blew the ashes into Zack’s face.  At once, they transformed into brilliant orange and yellow embers which swirled around Zack, from his head to his feet.

When he exhaled, Zack’s legs lost their support.  As if he weighed no more than a feather, he fluttered backwards, passing into sleep.  Catching Zack’s head and upper back, Sean guided his fall.

“Sleep well, my friend,” Sean said.  “May you emerge victorious.”  Standing again, he meditated, opening himself to the surrounding environment.  A breeze rubbed the grass at his feet.  He smiled.

 

* * *

 

 

“He may be sleeping, Sean,” Lord Zedd said from his throne.  Standing up, he added, “But I plan on making sure he doesn’t wake up.”

Rita, who had been at the balcony, cocked her head around at her husband.  “We won’t be able to do anything with him while Sean is there,” she interjected.  “He’s too powerful, remember?”

“I remember that perfectly, my little toadstool,” Zedd replied coolly.

Rita perked up at Zedd’s remark.  Despite her deception and perhaps because of Finster’s love potion, Lord Zedd had fallen love with Rita during their marriage.  And perhaps he still did somewhere underneath his continuous wrath.

“And I also remember that Sean can’t use his ranger powers for long or he’ll die.  If we distract him long enough, we can get to Zack.”  He gazed at Scorpina and Goldar.  “But then again, if we manage to kill Sean in the process, that wouldn’t be a bad thing either.”

Rita, Scorpina, and Goldar grinned eagerly back at him.  Sinister laughter grumbled among them.

“Come everyone!  We have a funeral to arrange!” Zedd called to his minions, gathering them around him.  “But first, let’s make sure those other rangers don’t interfere,” Zedd added, sending lightning from the _Z_ on his staff towards Earth.  “There will be no interruptions this time!”

 

* * *

 

 

Tommy, Kimberly, Rocky, and Adam stood for untold minutes in a vacant field in the park.  “I don’t understand,” Adam said.  “They were here.  What happened?”

“Got me,” Rocky said.

Just then, Zedd’s lightning struck the atmosphere above them.

“What the heck was that?” Rocky asked, looking up.  The sky remained the same.

“I’m not sure,” Tommy said, bringing his wrist toward his mouthpiece. 

“Haley, you copy?”

 _“Yeah, there’s a bit of interference but not much,”_ she replied.

“Haley, did Lord Zedd seal the entire park in a force field?” Billy asked, remembering Zedd’s force fields were circular and had no visible top.

_“Yep, a big spinning cyclone of energy darts.  Air is moving through it so I would guess that he is trying to block your teleporting in case Sean and Zack need your help.”_

“Great; so where are the putties?” Adam asked, glancing around.

“Look no further,” Rocky said, pointing forward.  “There.”

“More like everywhere,” Kimberly chimed in.

Back to back they huddled in a circle of defense as at least thirty Super Z Putties crept toward them from all sides.

“Talk about setting bait for a trap,” Rocky said, gritting his teeth.

“They don’t matter,” Tommy said.  “They’re meant to distract us.  Haley, see what you can do about breaking that force field.”

_“Got it.”_

“Tommy, even if she does find a way, we’ll be outmatched and outnumbered,” Billy reminded him.

“Yeah, but if we don’t have an exit, we’ll get creamed before Zack’s finished,” Tommy responded.

 

* * *

 

 

In the Power Ranger Lair, Haley switched off the com channel and blew out a mouthful of air.  This was the first time she combated an object of magic with science.  Though thoroughly anxious, she smiled.  “Okay, let’s see who’s smarter,” she said to the air, already computing calculations, and hoping that Lord Zedd did not hear her.  She was going to have to do a lot of this manually and did not want to be distracted by fending for her life.  Of course even if she did figure out how to neutralize Zedd’s force field, she doubted they had the equipment to execute it.  “Work with what you have,” she sighed.  “Tommy is going to owe me a large caramel macchiato when this day is done.”


	5. Trials

Trini perched herself on her sit bones, cradling herself in a tight ball.  Her eyes remained chronically frozen open, unable to stay closed.  Each time she shut her eyes, Jason’s naked form slithered into her mind’s eye—ever present like a star’s light bathing a planet.  Shuddering, she wrenched open her eyes, darting them everywhere else.  Possessed by terror, she refused to move, frozen in cowardice.  Her dignity shredded, she clutched her form, rocking back and forth—never looking behind her.  Jason’s astral scent hung in the air, sprouting goose bumps up her back.

Richie had found her like this at 3:20pm.  She ignored his compassion, and protested against his coaxing.  Realizing his attempts were futile, he shuffled her laundry and left for the kitchen, assuring her that she only needed to call for him and he would come.

Unimpressed, she did not nod.

Instead she stared into her heart, asking for the truth to a question she had asked many years ago.  _Why didn’t you kill me, Jason?_

 

* * *

 

 

Zack awoke to the flickering of light dancing upon his face.  Taking in a deep breath, the damp air surprised him into full alertness.  Opening his eyes he blinked several times, shielding his eyes from a noon sun’s beams gleaming through the swaying canopy a hundred feet above him.  He was lying on his back in the middle of a vast rain forest, populated by many varieties of trees, mosses, flowers, and bushes that Zack had never seen before.  A lumpy and large tree root dug into his left hamstring.  The moist air clung to Zack’s skin as he rolled to his feet, shifting away from the root. 

Standing, he spun around. 

 _Where am I?_ he wondered gaping at the rainforest around him.

Taking a couple of steps, he stumbled through some bushes onto a path.  Looking in all directions, Zack saw nothing familiar.  At first he thought he was in Africa or South America but none of the plant life looked like anything from those places.  Around him, the various sounds and calls of animals fueled his confusion.

“Okay, so I’m definitely not on Earth,” Zack asked under his breath.  “Am I on Phaedos?”  Taking a guess, he turned right on the path, marching forward through layers of fallen dried leaves.

 

* * *

 

 

Meanwhile, Goldar and Scorpina materialized twelve feet behind Sean.  Taking a quarter of a second to aim, they each fired concentrated orange fire streams from their swords at Sean.  Yet just as the fire barrages were millimeters from Sean, he launched himself into the air with a back twist flip over the beams, landing in the same spot, facing the two warriors.

“Good afternoon,” Sean greeted.

Behind him, Lord Zedd and Rita Repulsa materialized with a white lightning bolt and a spiraling mass of fireballs.

“And you will not get a chance to—!” Sean slapped the white lightning bolt aimed from behind with a slap of his left arm.  “Apparently, you forgot what I am capable of, Zedd,” Sean added, staring at him, “Even while exhausted.”

“On the contrary, I didn’t,” replied Zedd, crossing his staff with Rita’s.  Thick, dark blue lightning shot out from the intersection of their staffs as Goldar and Scorpina crossed their swords and shot a thick yellow beam outlined with a spiral of magenta lightning.

On reflex, Sean extended both arms out, holding the energy attacks back with his hands, expressing neither emotion nor desire.  _Just like I expected,_ he thought, fully aware of his limitations today— an advantage over the previous day.  Exhausted or not, he could and would fend off the quartet’s assaults.

“Why can’t you be a good little ranger and die!” Rita shouted, pouring more energy into her blast.

For an answer, Sean cupped his hands and slapped them together above his head, swirling the attacking energy upward around his body into a funnel.  After a second, he snapped his arms sideways, sending an explosive shockwave towards the four villains.

It smashed into them, knocking them to the ground with detonations bursting all over their bodies.

Surprisingly, Zedd got back to his feet almost instantaneously, ignoring the slight groaning from his allies.  “I’m not going anywhere until Zack is a corpse!” he snarled.

“That is something I cannot allow,” Sean replied, moving into the kung fu mantis stance in front of Zack.

“I’m not giving you a choice,” Zedd retorted, charging up his staff with red flames and white lighting.  Beside him, Rita stammered to her feet.  Visually targeting Sean’s heart without moving his staff, Lord Zedd fired three short bursts of energy at him.

Sean flicked up his palm.   Absorbing the energy through his hand and, continuing the flow of energy, pointed with his other hand, and a single burst back at Zedd.

Zedd deflected it with his staff.  Without pausing, Zedd tilted his staff toward Zack, firing two lightning blasts at him.

Sean knew instantly that he had no time to catch the bolts.  With perfect hand eye coordination, he brought his cupped hands together in front of him, and with a reverse “J” gesture, remotely pushed the lightning bolts upward to the sky when they were less than two feet from Zack.  A slight grunt of effort escaped Sean’s lips as he did this.

“Impressive,” Zedd chuckled.  “I underestimated you, Sean.”

“Not a good idea on your part,” Sean replied, fixating an iron gaze at Zedd as he sucked in more air into his lungs.

“Don’t be cocky with me, boy!” Zedd said.  “You may be able to handle the four of us, but how about a whole platoon of tengas and putties!”

At once twenty tengas and Z putties materialized out of thin air in a haze of silver and dark purple flashes around Sean.

Sean spun his head around, taking in all of the adversaries.  At a glance, there were more tengas than putties, but the presence of the clay brains did strike Sean as slightly curious.  Chuckling on the inside, Sean gave Zedd some credit.  He was slowly transforming back into the strategist he used to be before he had married Rita.

Putties were easy, even though they were Zedd’s, but the tengas would be more of a problem as long as he remained in his civilian form.  With his life energy still tied to Trini and Zack, too much exertion of his ranger power would deplete his reserves.  Having already been in a battle that day, morphing now would be devastating to Sean, perhaps even lethal.

“Well, Green Ranger,” Zedd mused, “What are you going to do now?  You’re friends are trapped and Trini is inactive.”

“Meaning you’re all alone!” Rita cackled.

Goldar and Scorpina snickered from behind.

Sean grinned.  “I thought you had learned not to underestimate me, Zedd,” Sean said, surveying with his ESP and sensing everyone around him.  Once he saw the whole picture, he made his decision.  Taking a three point turn to his left, Sean simultaneously slammed his fist, knife-hand struck, and front kicked three separate putties.  Falling to the ground, they disassembled.

“Destroy him!” Zedd ordered.

Immediately, Goldar shot a barrage of eye blasts while Scorpina fired flames from her armored hand.

Sean dived out of the way just in time, side kicking a putty in the chest before landing.  Sean continued taking out the putties, avoiding the tengas as long he could.  _Cannon fodder,_ he grimaced.

“Tengas!  Are you going to squawk all day or fight!” Rita screamed, while taking aim with her wand.  Three ruby colored flames slithered from its crystal globe toward Sean’s feet.  She missed him by inches.

 

* * *

 

 

Meanwhile, Zack must have been walking on the same path for at least an hour but was getting nowhere.  The path slithered up and down a solitary path but at least he was not alone.

Around him, he heard chirping, screeching, and a light buzzing.  Zack tossed his head from side to side, trying to catch a glimpse of the lurkers but to no avail.  Judging from the sounds, insects, birds, and other animals surrounded him, hiding among the trees.  Although he couldn’t understand what they were saying, something within Zack told him that the animals (if they were animals) were compelling him forward, even though not seeing them made anxiety run through his veins.

As he hiked forward, he noticed a hint of light shining through the branches ahead.  After a while he came out of the forest into a clearing and halted in awe.  Before him was a colossal figure of stone, stretching over a mile into the sky.  Dumbstruck, Zack neither moved nor wrenched his sight away.

“You feel it, don’t you?” asked a female voice from behind.

Zack whirled around.  An athletic, slim woman in her thirties stood there, draped in a thick green and brown cloak with her hood pulled back, exposing long curly dark blond hair that passed her shoulders.  She held a wooden fighting staff in her right hand.

“Are you Dulcea?” Zack asked, recalling the story that Tommy, Adam, Kimberly, Billy, Aisha, and Rocky had told him once.

Dulcea nodded.  “I am also a friend of Sean,” she replied.  “He told me you would be coming here soon.”

“Excuse me?”

“There are many ways to communicate in the universe,” Dulcea continued.  “This is a vision quest, Silver Ranger.”

“So I’m not quite here?”

“Yes you are.  A part of your essence is.”

Zack regarded her, inquisitiveness stirring in him.

“Since the Gargoyles were destroyed,” Dulcea continued.  “There are no guardians for you to face.”

“So what do I do?” he asked, turning back to the monolith.

“Climb the Monolith,” Dulcea said.

Zack blinked.  Then he started laughing.  “You’re joking… right?” he asked, his face alit with excitement.

“No,” she said, stepping to the side while gesturing with her staff at the Monolith.  “Go on.”

Zack glanced at the Monolith and at her.  “Without climbing gear?” he asked.

“Mm-hmm,” she answered, cracking a sincere smile.

Blowing a mouthful of air out, Zack trekked over to the Monolith’s side, to the left of the pyramid.  Ignoring the vines, he clasped a sturdy stone protruding from the side and pushed up.

 

* * *

 

 

Back in Angel Grove, Tommy slammed the back of his fist into a Super Z Putty sneaking up on him and kicked another one grabbing hold of his leg.  Both of them flew backward.  “Man, what’s in these guys?” he wondered.  “Billy, have you fought these things before?”

“Unfortunately, no,” Billy answered from yards away, parrying a putty’s hand blade with his Lance.  Swinging the other end into the side of its head, Billy flicked his lance around and stabbed the putty straight in the face.

In an explosion of sparks, the putty staggered backward, shaking its head and rubbing it with its hands.  Billy held his guard, wary of another attack from either that foe or its comrades.  Sure enough, within seconds, the putty straightened up and advanced, swinging it’s blade at Billy.

“These guys—don’t know when—to quit!” Billy reported blocking the onslaughts of more putties as his previous attacker advanced also.

“Same here!” Tommy answered, slashing three putties with Saba’s white lighting, hoping to disintegrate them.  None did.   Instead they shot at him with gunshots from their middle fingers.

In a flurry of sparks, Tommy crashed into the ground, luckily rolling away from them.  Instinctively knowing he didn’t have time to rest even though that triple attack had knocked some of the air out of him, he swept his feet around, tripping the nearest putty, and then hammered his ankle into its gut with an excellent ax kick.  Jumping to his feet, he crept backward from the nearest putties.  Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw five more putties on either side creeping toward him.

“Jason, you’re doing better than Zedd ever did,” Tommy said.

“I’m glad you enjoy it,” Jason said from off to the side, leaning on a tree.

Surprised, Tommy spun around, swinging Saba overhead into a high guard.  Unfortunately, Jason slid forward into a side kick, hitting Tommy in the solar plexus before his sword was in place.  Tommy flew backward twenty feet, tumbling onto the ground.

“Tommy, you alright?” Adam called out, having seen his friend zoom past.  “What the—Jason!”  He turned around, noticing the Monarch of Evil.

 “You!” Tommy gasped in a half whisper, glaring at Jason.  Catching his breath, he stumbled to his feet.

 “Decided to show your face in the sun?” Rocky snapped.

“I thought I’d keep things interesting,” Jason responded coolly, strolling forward.  “Care to fight me now?” he asked, raising his katana to mid level and pointing it at Tommy.

“What if I said ‘no’?” Tommy asked.  With a _si-ai-yah_ yell, he leapt into the air coming at Jason with an overhead sword strike.

Anticipating this, Jason stepped back, grounding himself and raising his blade into an overhead guard.  Absorbing Tommy’s force, Jason directed Saba away from him.

“Coward, Jason?” Tommy asked.

“Not at all.”  Advancing, Jason cut forward, pushing Tommy further away from his friends.

“Take care of the putties!” Tommy yelled to his comrades.  “They have to have a weakness.”

Taking the order, Rocky summoned his Power Sword and cut the closest putty into clumps of clay.  Glee and satisfaction radiated into his face.  Unfortunately, almost immediately, the lumps assembled and reconstituted into two new putties.  “Shit!  Guys, don’t try to hack’em in half.  It only makes more of them.”

“Oh, man; I forgot about that!” Kimberly groaned.

Immediately, Adam parried and batted away a few putties from him with the dull side of his ax.  “We’re running out of options, then,” he reported.  “These guys aren’t getting tired fast enough.”

Meanwhile, Jason parried Tommy’s attacks one handed while still pushing him away from the fight.

“What’s this about, Jason?” Tommy asked.  “Sending putties to do what you won’t?”

“Worry only about your head!” Jason said, stabbing within an inch of Tommy’s neck.  Tommy side stepped out of the way and slashed at Jason’s left upper arm.  Surprisingly, Jason stepped back and blocked with his forearm, while arching his katana into an overhead stab aiming for Tommy’s upper chest.  Tommy backed up, swatting Jason’s katana aside.  However, Jason stepped forward and reposted, aiming for Tommy’s abdomen.  Just as Tommy lowered his arms to intersect the katana, Jason flicked his blade 90 degrees away from them, seized Tommy’s throat, picked him up, and slammed him into the ground before Tommy could react.  Releasing Tommy Jason backed up, not lowering his weapon.

Tommy sucked in mouthfuls of air, replenishing the amount expelled from his lungs.  He rolled to his feet.

“You’re the message,” Jason said.

“Wha—?” Tommy began, still catching his breath.

“Attack him again,” Jason ordered, evaporating into flame.

“What are you up to, Jason?” Tommy asked the air, standing at once.

 

* * *

 

 

Five miles away, inevitability tapped repeatedly on Trini’s senses.  Despite her depression, unstable emotions, and sheer will-power, echoes of Tommy’s bafflement rang clear in her psychic ears; yet impervious to dissuasion.  Trini squeezed her hands around the sides of her cranium, trying to physically block out the foreign emotions.

 _Why can’t I just grieve and shut down!?_ she wailed within her thoughts.  An answer whispered within her, soft and strong, barely heard above the armies raging in her mind.  Yet the essence of truth glimmered from them, as if vibrato had been given form.

Tightening her hands around her shoulders, she buried her faced in her arms, further pleading to be left alone from this conflict.  Yet neither fate nor her Sacred Animal would abate.  She was bound to these events through blood, pain, tears, heart, and the ring around her finger.

_My ring!_

Pausing in her shuddering, she gazed at it again.  Still dull, it screamed what her intuition had been imploring since Jason had disappeared eight days ago.  Whether Jason had lied to her or not (she still could not recall), Trini had promised to stand by his side when he was on the run from Dark Specter.  Escape was impossible even through death.

Regret dripping down her throat, she swatted her protests away and heard the following words spoken through her conscious:  _You were shut down for too long already._

Resigned, she stood, ignoring her muscles’ protests as they stretched.


	6. Trini's Request

Trini crept into the kitchen, her body shuddering with each breath.  Richie turned from the boiling pasta, greeting her with a nod before stirring the sauce again. 

Trini smiled, yet her eyes still tingled with dry tears.  Crusted layers of dry salt lined her nose and cheeks, aging her more beyond her graceful prime.  Her sobs no longer relieved her pain.  It remained—immune to evisceration like a crater in the sea.

She wanted to confess her feelings to someone other than a power ranger, even though she knew she would be breaking Zordon’s third Ranger rule:  _Keep your identity a secret.  No one may know you are a power ranger._   She had lived by that rule ever since after her first ranger battle.  Her sense of honor, duty, and responsibility had always prevailed to preserve the greater good.

Yet she could no longer remain silent or inactive.  She had been forced to be so for six years.  Release and solace would never be hers as long as apathy governed her mind.  Even her death would cause pain for her friends, adding more weight to her shame.  Instead, for the first time in eight days, her path glistened with clarity.

She could tell Richie.  He had proven himself already by taking her in and respecting her wishes of privacy.  Trini knew Richie would honor her identity.  Of the people she had met in her life, he had exemplified all of the Power Ranger qualities:  Honor, Courtesy, Integrity, Compassion, Benevolence, Perseverance, Self-Control, and Loyalty.  If given the opportunity, he would have made an extemporary Power Ranger.

“Richie?” she said with a half quiver in her voice, as she headed to the table.

“Hmm?” he responded, looking up at her.  “What’s up?”

“I have something I need to tell you,” Trini said, sitting down at the kitchen bar.

Trini drew in a long deep breath in hopes of quieting her anxiety.  Unfortunately, her anxiety remained rooted and tangled within her heart.  Stepping beyond her hesitation was close to impossible from her standpoint.

No more than six feet away, Richie raised his eyebrows in earnest curiosity.  “Are you going to tell me why you are here instead of with your friends?”

Shaking, she nodded.  “Yes.”

 

* * *

 

 

Back in his vision quest, Zack had been climbing for at least half an hour and already he was getting tired.  He had climbed huge rock mesas in Nevada but this Monolith was in a league of its own. 

Obviously, the task was daunting, which Zack had attacked with relish and excitement.  Challenging himself in such tasks had dominated his life for the past five years.  Exceptionally proud and glad of where he was, rising the bar of his abilities—pushing the envelope—had filled a calling that roared with yearning.  While he did not consider himself a “superman” his studies into personal fitness had created a yearning to find out what the human body was capable of.

This task fit the bill.  While roots, branches, and stones and clefts helped him along the way, several times he had to burrow his way into the very side of the Monolith, inching himself up bit by bit.  Sometimes there were no clear stones and he had to claw his way up, literally digging his fingers into the Monolith’s surface, and push himself up.

Groaning and gasping as his hands cracked and slit open, he kept going.  _My friends are counting on me_ , he said, shaking dissuasion from his mind and climbing higher—never looking immediately down.  As the mountain side sloped outward and back, he dug into the ground, clinging to the foundation of this former house of power.

Yet as he ascended, power grew within him.  He had long passed the stray vine or root for assistance.  It was now his will pitted against his exhaustion.  Wanting to look up also, he forbade it, binding his vision to the front and anything immediately above his head.  By focusing on the moment, he was barred from fueling his apprehension or so he thought.

Not carrying a watch, Zack had no clue how long he had been at this.  Fatigue began to set in his arms as aches grew from his back.  Now and then he dared to look at his immediate surroundings, disappointed only to find more sand and dirt yielding no crevice large enough or cliff to rest on.  However, he reminded himself that had he been given the option to rest, he would have had climbing gear and have been able to hang in midair.

This was a test of endurance, perseverance, and loyalty to his friends.  Zack understood this.  He needed to be a fully energized power ranger not a leech.  Jason had taken too much from them already before a full day had passed.  It was time to turn the tide in this.  While their defeat over The Skunk had been gratifying, all of the rangers knew that they needed to be whole in order to win this struggle. 

Refueled with the fire of passion, he grabbed a stone.  His hand slippery with fresh blood and dirt, he slipped and lost his footing, dangling with one hand perched on a three inch deep stone.

 

* * *

 

 

Back on Mt. Rogers, Sean kicked a tenga away from Zack’s body for the fifth time.  While fatigue consumed his body, his mind rose above it, channeling energy and support from the air, ground, and life around him—even minute amounts from the tengas.  Through all six senses, he was aware and anticipated each of the tengas’ assaults.  With a mastery of Martial Arts that rivaled that of S.E.A.L.S., he reduced many of them to unconsciousness.  Within moments none remained standing.  Exertion waning on his body, he mustered his outward and inner composure without yielding any signs to his enemies.  Instead he glared at the four of them, patiently awaiting their next move.

Goldar and Scorpina launched forward, Goldar attacking from above while Scorpina attacked from the ground.  Leaping into the air, Sean twisted and punched both of them at the same time while simultaneously transforming into his Ninjetti attire instead of his full ranger costume.  The boost of power from the transformation knocked both of them to the ground.  Goldar and Scorpina crawled to their feet.

“You bore me, Lord Zedd, with these antics,” Sean said as.  “Or perhaps I am too old.”

“Enough of this!” snarled Lord Zedd, charging his staff and then unleashing a storm of lighting at Sean.

“Ninja ranger beams, now!”  Sean brought his hands together in the shape of a hand gun, pressed them into his chest and then extended them outward, unleashing a web of green energy at Zedd’s attack, stopping it but not canceling it.  Instead the two of them stood grounded in both form and resolve—unrelenting until the other yielded.  Zedd continued pouring energy into his staff, refusing to lose.

Taking the hint, Rita blasted red lighting from her staff as well.  Scorpina fired several fireballs from her armored hand as Goldar shot a flurry of eyeblasts at the energy web.  Energizing their swords, they crossed them and unleashed a continuous fiery blast also.

Sean maintained his position, calling forth the earth for support and sustenance.

 

* * *

 

 

Back on Phaedos, Zack hung for his life forgetting that he was in a vision quest.  Air touching his toes, he caught a glimpse of the Neola Jungle’s canopy over a mile below him.

“Whoa, shit!” he yelled, tearing his vision away from the ground and pasting it to the Monolith’s side.  Noticing another crevice beside his other hand, he seized it, gripping the dirt below him with his toes.  Safe for now, he breathed rapidly, releasing his stress.  Unable to rest completely, he gathered his wits again and looked for a higher crevice or stone to grab.  None appeared.  Zack snapped his vision around again, and then swept along the same path after remembering patience, subsiding his panic and annoyance.  However minute tingles crept into the edges of his fingers as nerve impulses fought through numbness, added more pressure to him.  Motivated, Zack tried to find another path.  There was none.

“What?” he snapped, his frustration boiling underneath his skin.  “You have got to be kidding me!  I need to help my friends.  How am I supposed to do that if I can’t finish this!?” he screamed, slipping.  Gritting his teeth, he dug deeper into the Monolith.  Frustration blinding his wisdom, he looked straight up.  The summit was no more than half a mile away.  Defeat crushed over him.  Closing his eyes, he bowed his head in shame, hitting the dirt in front of him with his forehead.  “I failed,” Zack sighed.

“This is the point you needed to reach, Zack,” said an open throated and resonated voice from above.

“What?”  Zack looked up.

Above Zack was the golden ghost of a male adult lion, clutching the Monolith with its claws.  “You were never meant to reach the top; you aren’t ready,” it said.  “Instead, you were forced to see your limitations.”

Zack blinked and gawked.  “I—I don’t… understand.”  He stiffened his hold on the turf, numbness setting into his toes and shins now.

“In order to fight this war, your friends and you must use more than what you’ve used before,” resumed the Lion.  “Otherwise this struggle will be impossible to quell.  While Sean is incredible, he cannot do what is outside his capacity.  Only as a team, will you win.”

Zack continued gapping at the Lion, bewilderment and understanding churning within him.  “What should I do then?”

“Accept me.”

Zack shut his eyes and cleared his mind, forgetting his pains.  “I do.”

Rearing its head, the Lion roared and leapt into Zack’s chest, golden rays shining from Zack’s torso.

 

* * *

 

 

Back on Earth, sweat formed along Sean’s brow as he maintained the defensive energy web.  Powerful and disciplined though Sean was, Jason’s side had more power charging their attacks whereas Sean had no other source of power except himself.  Nevertheless, he funneled all of his focus and energy into one task:  protecting Zack.

Yet there was a problem.  Sean did not have enough spare energy to use as power.  Unsure of what the consequences to Trini and Zack, Sean had refused to morph.  However, in order to save Zack’s life, he would have to delve deeper into his reservoir.  Because his powers were tied to his life force, he knew what he was asking of himself.  He did not flinch.  There was no time to call for help and he could not spare the energy to do so.  Trusting in the greater good, he tapped into the surface of his ranger powers.  His web pushed back the combined blasts two feet.

Digging into the ground, Zedd smiled behind his mask.  “Now, we’re getting somewhere,” he seethed with glee.  With a defiant yell, he intensified his storm.

Rita poured a bit more of her magic into her blasts, transforming her continuous lightning bolt into a blood red energy beam.

Goldar and Scorpina dug a bit more into their reserves.  However, their fatigue limit loomed nearby.  Worry ebbed at them but if they could tire Sean out any further, it was worth it.

Around all of them, the atmosphere crackled with unresolved energy.  Zedd did not care.  If killing Sean was the only way to get to Zack, then he would do it.

Sean maintained his position, freeing his mind through meditation.  This was a battle of wills and might between himself and Lord Zedd.  While impressive, Rita’s magic was not in the same category as Zedd’s.  Once she had come close but now was no more.  Even if all three of his minions dropped out, Zedd would keep going.  Sean neither worried nor contemplated this, but accepted it.

 

* * *

 

 

Meanwhile back in the Power Ranger Lair, Haley was still nowhere near cracking through Zedd’s force field.  According to her calculations and studies, it seemed to be self-sustaining, drawing power from the momentum of the energy darts.  She knew the amount of force that what was necessary to neutralize it, but had no equipment to do it with.

Needing a ten second break, she located Sean’s energy pattern and pulled up where he was.  Awe consumed her.  The readouts she was getting at the levels of energy being unleashed were astounding.  For a complete moment she forgot about the force field.

“I’d hate to see Sean when he’s fully energized,” she muttered.  Suddenly, she noticed Zack lying behind Sean.  Immediately, she pulled up a wide shot of the battle in the park while opening a communication channel with the rangers, watching their battle.  “Guys, we have a problem.”

 _“Any news on the force field?”_ Tommy asked.

“I’m sorry, Tommy, but this is way out of my league,” she apologized, guilt filling her stomach.

_“It’s okay, Haley.  I know you’ve never dealt with sorcery before.”_

“I know.  But Sean is engaged in an energy dual with Goldar, Scorpina, Rita, and Zedd.  And the readings don’t look good.  If this keeps up, they could unleash a lightning storm that could destroy the entire area.  And for some reason, Zack’s unconscious beside them.

 _“Can you teleport Zack out of there?”_ Tommy asked.

“No.  We don’t have the equipment for it.  I can’t even neutralize this force field and I know what needs to happen.”

 _“Haley, what is it?”_ Billy asked.

“Stop the spinning of the energy darts.  It’s the only thing I can think of.”

 _“Thanks, Haley!”_ Billy replied.  _“If we can’t teleport out, we might be able to teleport to the edge.”_

 _“Go for it, Billy!”_ Tommy ordered.

Billy teleported away.

“This has to work.  Kimberly, behind you!”

 

* * *

 

 

Across the state, Richie remained cemented to his chair beside Trini, his face hanging open in shock.  For five minutes he resided there, stupefied— incapable of transitioning his thoughts into words.  However, only stray words and terms floated around his mind, making it even more difficult for him to speak. 

Beside him, Trini watched him intently with a stone face, waiting for him to respond.  He had taken the news fairly well that she had used to be a Power Ranger.  However, when she explained that Jason was now the Monarch of Evil and that he had raped her, Richie’s kind and compassionate demeanor had almost fully crumpled under her tale’s weight.

He took in another deep gulp of air.  “So…” he finally said, “You….you have to kill your husband?” he asked, struggling to understand the gravity of the situation.

“If it comes to that,” Trini replied, her voice quivering with suppressed emotion. 

Richie scanned her face, narrowing his eyes.  “Man,” he sighed, “I almost don’t want to believe that.”

“Believe me,” Trini said, “As much as I tell myself it isn’t, it is.”

Richie got up, walked over to the sink, grabbed a tall glass from the nearest cabinet, and filled it within a centimeter of the top.  Bringing it to his lips, he gulped half of it down.  “How long have you been an empath?” he asked, licking his lips.

“Apparently almost seven years,” Trini replied, bringing a hand to her forehead and massaging her temple.  Her eyelids drifted together.  “I’m a bit hazy on the details.”

Richie regarded her, cocking his head to the side.  Here was the woman that had occupied his thoughts ever since he had first met her over a decade ago.  He had always intended on asking her out, but was too shy to do so.  Instead he studied with her but never made any further progress.  Reluctantly, he had settled on exchanging flirty, romantic stares with her from time to time.  Now, as he regarded her, thoughts of the two of them getting married and raising a family flashed in his mind in a blur of snapshots.  He imagined a life where an evil Jason did not exist.  Richie had been foolish as a teenager and was now a grown man though still young enough.

However, a question bloomed within his fantasies, its scent blowing him back to reality.  “Why did you tell me this, Trini?” he asked, refocusing his eyes upon her.

Trini narrowed her gaze upon him.  “I have a favor to ask you.”

“What is it?”

Trini drew in a deep breath.  “I want you to take my place,” she said.

Richie blinked a few times, pinching his eyebrows together.  “Your… your place?” he asked.

Trini reached in her purse and withdrew her power morpher.  Richie’s eyelids shot into his eye sockets.

“I want you to be the Yellow Ninjetti Ranger.”  She held out her morpher to Richie.

 

* * *

 

 

Sean channeled the raw energy into him, recycling the power.  Unfortunately, his endurance ebbed a bit.  Focusing again, he maintained his resolve and continued pouring power into his web.

There was only one choice left.  He would sacrifice himself in order to maintain Zack’s defenses, trusting in the Greater Good.

Suddenly, rich golden rays shined from behind him.  Power sprouted within Sean’s mind, and then through his life force.  Energized, he strengthened the web.  In the corner of his mind, he sensed Zack’s spirit return.  “Zack!” he cried.

Behind Sean, Zack rose to his feet, radiating inner strength and energy.  Already morphed in his ranger attire, he rushed over to Sean.

“NO!!!” Rita screamed, fury building within her.

“Sean!” Zack cried.

“I can’t hold this back for long,” Sean admitted, his voice strained from slitting his concentration.  While Zack passing his trial relinquished a third of Sean’s power back to him, Sean’s body could not handle the increase of power now surging through him.

Words escaped Zack in his terror.

 

* * *

 

 

“You want _me_ to be a power ranger?” Richie exclaimed, his eyebrows shooting into the ceiling.

“Yes,” Trini said.  “Richie, my friends could die today—now.  I can sense the battle in the park.”

“What battle?”

“Turn on the news.”

Richie grabbed the remote, turned on the kitchen TV and turned it to a local news channel.  _“For those just turning in, we are continuing our live coverage of the battle fought inside of Angel Grove Park between the Power Rangers and a group of putty hybrids.  Many long time citizens will recognize the characteristics of the infamous white Z putties and the gray putties that preceded them in previous years.  The species or varieties seem to have fused creating an impressive force against our retuning heroes.  Another curious element is the impenetrable energy field surrounding the entirety of the park, cutting off all traffic and contact.  It is unknown how many civilians are sealed inside.  As the Power Rangers fight desperately, they seem to be fighting a losing battle against larger numbers.”_   Richie flipped the channel, seeing another story covering the Park.

“Richie, you have to help them,” Trini said.

He muted the sound.  “I want to,” Richie said.  “I can’t—I don’t know what to do!”

“We didn’t either when Zordon chose us,” Trini replied.  “But he knew that we were the right ones for the job just as I believe in you.  You’ll be able to help them more than me.  The rangers have to be at full strength, and my contribution would weaken that strength.”

“Maybe you need more time?”

“There is no more time,” she said grimly.  And for the first time, a fire burned behind her sunken eyes.  “My knowledge and acceptance of that means that the earth is now open to attack.  My friends need all the help they can get if they’re going to defend this planet.”

“They’ve done it before,” Richie interjected.

“Not from an empire like this,” Trini pointed out.  “Please, Richie.”

Hesitation seized Richie as he stared at the morpher, allied with indecision.  And then he looked at Trini.  It was impossible for her to make up a story this elaborate for a hoax.  Richie took the morpher, feeling the weight of responsibility as he stared at it.  After a few seconds, he blinked and did a double take.  Then, remembering what Trini had said about power coins, he cocked his head back at her.  “It’s empty.”

“I know,” she said, withdrawing a golden coin about twice the size of a quarter with the emblem of the Bear engraved on its surface from her pocket.  “Hold the morpher out for me with both of your hands.”

Richie did so.

Trini lifted the coin to her eye level, an invisible bridge linking her memory, sense of self, and heart, and soul to it through her eyes.  Nostalgia poured into the vast caverns behind her skin as memories of when she was a power ranger washed over her.

 _How much more will I have to sacrifice before this is done?_ she thought.  _To save this planet, I’d sacrifice my life but I don’t have the heart to go through it.  Forgive me, Bear—Zordon._   As she accepted her responsibility, her power coin glowed and then shined, almost blinding both of them.  The distant growl of the Bear echoed from it, filling the room.

“What was that?” Rocky asked, transfixed by the coin.

“My sacred animal.  I passed my trial.”  A smile sprouted from her withered face, cracking the chains of her depression.

“Trini, if you’ve now earned the right to be a power ranger again, than fight with your friends.”

“The power is mine because I know I cannot use it now,” Trini responded.  “One day, I will take it but for now, it is yours.  Richie, my friends will die if you don’t help them.” 

Realizing he was stalling with excuses, he nodded, having known his answer already.  “I’ll do it.”

She smiled, happiness warming her core for the first time in days.  “Then take this coin, and be a power ranger,” she said, putting her coin into the morpher.

Immediately, it shined bright yellow, and engulfed Richie in its light and then receded back into the morpher.  Richie gazed at it.  The emblem of the Bear had not changed.

“I guess your sacred animal is the Bear also,” Trini surmised.  “Thank you.”

Richie stared into her eyes, saturated with pride and awe.  In his eyes, he told her he would not fail her.  She understood, having not lost her empathy.  Taking off her communicator, she handed it to him.  “Go.  Help my friends.”

He nodded, backing up while putting the communicator around his wrist.  “How do I make this work?” he asked, referring to the morpher.

“Hold it in front of yourself and say, ‘It’s Morphin’ Time’ and then ‘Bear Ninjetti Power’.”

Richie nodded.  “Okay.  It’s Morphin’ Time!  Bear Ninjetti Power!”  And through the swirl of light he transformed into the Yellow Ninjetti Power Ranger.

“Focus on my team and allow yourself to be there,” she instructed further.

Looking into himself, Richie imagined their friends’ names.  After a moment, he teleported through the ceiling.

 

* * *

 

 

Through his fatigue and strain, Sean sensed the light of Trini’s power brighten and leave him, no longer dependent on him.  Relieved, he embraced his immediate present and morphed into his ranger form.  Not yielding to despair, he questioned what to do now.  Despite his reinforced endurance, as long as Zedd continued pouring power into his blasts, Sean could not cancel it out.  Plus, the atmosphere was growing more unstable.  If Zedd did not let up, they could all be destroyed.

“Zack,” Sean said.  “The others are still at the Park.  Go there and help them.”

“Let me help you.”

“This… is beyond your level of experience.  If you don’t leave now, you won’t be able to soon.”

The finality was clear.  Zack agreed.  “Take care of yourself.”  He teleported away.

“You let him get away!” Rita shrieked.

“Shut up and kill him!!!!” Zedd roared, abating his barrage and charging forward at Sean.

Goldar and Scorpina sank to their knees, winded beyond past experience.

Rita however, did not move, gob smacked by Zedd’s fury— _no, rage_ , she corrected.  Fearful that she would hinder their efforts, she remained on the side.

Dissolving his web, Sean launched a concentrated force of _chi_ at Zedd.  Lord Zedd dodged it and swung the Z of his staff at Sean’s head.  No time for weapons, Sean blocked it with his forearms.  The force knocked him back and Zedd’s second swing on the other side with the bottom of his staff knocked him further back as well.  However, in the instant Zedd spun around for another staff attack, Sean spun in the opposite direction and slammed his heel into Zedd’s side.  Zedd tumbled onto the ground.

“You lost, Zedd,” Sean said through heaves of breath.  “The chains on my life force are dissolved!”

Goldar leapt forward, preparing an overhead slash at Sean.  Grabbing his Dragon Dagger, Sean parried the blow, backed away, and kicked Goldar back several feet.

Scoffing, Zedd stomped to his feet.  “We still have you!”

Feeling the weariness possess his body once more, Sean silently sighed, accepting the limits of his body.  Regardless, he would endure.


	7. A New Team Forged

Richie stared at the spinning force field before him, no longer gawking.  _There has to be a way in_ , he mused.

“Trini, is that you?” called a voice in the distance.

Richie turned his head.  Zack, the Silver Ranger, ran towards him. 

“Sorry, Zack, wrong gender,” Richie replied.  “But she sent me.”

“Who are you then?”

“Zack, it’s me, Richie—from high school.”

“That’s where she went!”

“I’ll fill you in later.  How do we break into this thing?”

Zack glanced at it.  “I was wondering the same thing myself.”

Just then Billy materialized in front of them on the opposite side of the force field.  _Sean, you were always saying how fate had a sense of humor,_ he murmured.  “It’s a relief to see you guys,” he said.  “We need to stop the rotation of these streams.  Unfortunately, they’re at different intervals so it’d be next to impossible to brace something between them.”

“What about just stopping one of them?” Richie supplied.  “And then we can teleport inside.”

Surprised by Richie’s voice, Billy did a double take at Richie.  “Who are you?”

“Richie, Billy; Billy, Richie,” Zack introduced.

“Can we cut to the chase?” Richie asked, impatience getting the best of him.  “Billy, would that work?”

Putting two and two together, Billy nodded.  “It could.  But then we’d be back to square one and Rocky, Adam, and Tommy are tired already.  I wonder…”  He extended his hand toward a space between the energy streams.  Electricity fizzled as he touched the invisible barrier.

“What does that mean?” Richie asked.

“Half of the force field is invisible,” Billy explained.

“Sorry man,” Richie sighed.

“Don’t feel bad; it was a good suggestion.”  Billy tapped his communicator.  “Haley, what if we fired a concentrated energy beam at the force field, halting some of its velocity.”

_“The only thing I can think of to use would be the zords, but two wouldn’t be enough.”_

“Hey, we’ve never seen my zord; we don’t know what it can do,” Zack interjected.

_“True but if we don’t get that force field down soon Tommy and the others won’t last much longer.  You need to encompass the entire height of it—if not all of it.”_

“Hmm,” Billy hummed, staring at the field.  He looked around.  No putties were within sight of him.  _Perfect._   “We’re going to have to knock it down then,” he finally said.

“Billy, can you do that?” Zack asked, remembering what Billy had said about the limits of his telekinesis yesterday.

“I’ll have to,” Billy met his eyes, in a way only an experienced morphed ranger could to another.  “You guys might want to step back.

“Sure,” Richie said.  He and Zack moved back a few feet.

Exhaling a deep breath, Billy stared at a line in the force field in front of him.  _The mind does not move matter,_ he recited.  _It is the energy through the direction of the mind that moves matter.  Through this even energy can be manipulated._   Billy recalled the months of his metaphysical training with Sean—the frustration and uncertainty.  Now, he saw the piece of force field for what it was, a piece of energy.  “Guys, keep your blade blasters ready.  I might need your help.”

Silently, his friends readied their side arms, waiting patiently but alert.  Anxiety crept up Richie’s arms, unsure of what he was going to see or how he would react to it.

Billy sank into an open eyed meditation, focusing his attention and energy on one stream of the force field.  Letting go of cognitive thought, he yielded to instinct.  Neither time nor impatience swayed him.  Instead he waited as if to prance, surrendering to the will of his sacred animal—being more than its avatar:  its partner.  As he sank deeper into this power, blue energy glowed from underneath his suit, dazzling the others’ eyes yet Billy ignored it, not actually aware of it.  Soon the rapid passing energy streaks did not daunt him.  Billy’s vision quickened, watching them sleek by.  However those were not his targets.  Broadening his scope and opening himself to it, he reached out with his arms both forward and backward, releasing a surge of invisible energy.  Capturing the entire force field in his grasp it suddenly halted.  Billy lurched in both directions, his arm muscles almost ripping from their ligaments and tendons.  He dug into the ground with his feet, anchoring himself in position, but the strain nearly tore him upward into a violent cyclone of human tissue.

Meanwhile, Richie gaped at Billy and the force field, doubt of his vision and awe of the reality battling within him.  He froze in shock incapable of independent movement.  Even after living in Angel Grove this stretched his comprehensibility.

Under his helmet, Zack’s jaw hung in awe.

“It’s still active!” Billy yelled through gritted teeth.  “I can’t… _do_ … more!”

“We need to help him,” Zack said.

“How?” Richie asked, swinging his attention to Zack.

“Richie, we’re a team,” Zack said, looking at him.

And with that, Richie’s brain shifted back into gear.  _Team.  Teamwork.  No ‘I’ in team._   “Right,” he said, staring back at the force field, his position grounded.

Surrendering to instinct, they touched each other’s nearest hands, stretched out with their outer ones toward Billy.  Power rose within them, and they glowed:  Richie, yellow, and Zack, silver.  Neither light cancelled the other out.  Instead they both shined, casting a heavenly glow on the grass and nearby trees.  And somehow, their powers reached Billy as he fought to stay together.  Jolts of electricity shot up his legs to his hands and head, empowering his body.  The added energy filled him, obscuring his body with a cerulean corona.  His psychokinetic grip tightened, halting the force field’s rebellious crawling.  Suddenly, the energy shining within the Rangers transformed into gold as if they had become angels from Heaven.  Zack, Billy, and Richie smiled within, as pure benevolence washed through them.

In that instant, the doorway to Billy’s talent laid wide open.  Gasping hold of that power, radiant with benevolence, his power and being bloomed.  He reached his hands upwards, the strain no longer tearing at them.   _In the name of the Ninjetti, break down this force field!_ he chanted.

Heaving his hands down, the entire force field splintered and crashed around him, cancelling into nothing. 

Sighing and then gasping for breath, Billy collapsed to his knees, utterly winded.  “Morphinaminal!” he uttered, demorphing.  Falling forward, he caught himself with his hands.

“Billy!” Zack exclaimed as he and Richie rushing to him.  “That was incredible!” 

“Are you okay?” Richie asked, helping Billy up.  “How did we do that?”

“All things are possible to those who are Ninjetti,” Billy said, smiling.  “Tell the others.” 

Nodding, Zack brought his communicator to his mouth piece.  “Guys, the force field’s destroyed.”

_“Good, but these putties are whipping our butts.” Tommy reported._

“Then we should retreat,” Billy responded, standing up.

_“Agreed.  Meet back at— Hey, they disappeared.”_

“Finally!” Billy sighed.

 _“Unfortunately, I have some more bad news,”_ Haley chimed in through their communicators.  _“Sean’s in major trouble.  He’s fighting Zedd and losing.  Goldar, Scorpina, and Rita are there also but a bit winded.  Billy, can you handle one more fight?”_

“Sure,” Billy said, gathering his breath.  Restoration flowed back through him.  “Oh, by the way, guys, we have a surprise.”

 

* * *

 

 

Back in Virginia, Zedd swung his staff left and right which Sean parried with the Dragon Dagger.  Seeing an opening, Zedd kicked Sean into the ground and swung the bladed end of his staff toward Sean’s stomach.  Fortunately, Sean immediately blasted Zedd backward with an energy discharge from his Dagger.  Recovering almost instantly, Zedd stabbed at the ground.  However, Sean had rolled out of the way at the last second. 

“Your luck is over, Sean!” Zedd roared, wheeling his staff around for another assault.  “Sooner or later, you’ll give out.”

Knowing the truth in this, Sean did not surrender.

“Very well,” Zedd seethed, raising his staff again.

All of a sudden the rest of the power rangers materialized in a ring around them.  Instantly seeing what was happening, Tommy intercepted Zedd’s attack with Saba.

“What!?” Zedd snarled.  And then he saw the Yellow Ranger, thinking it was Trini.  “NO!!!!”

“Not good odds, Zedd,” Tommy smirked.  “Looks like your trap failed.”

“Why you pathetic—” Zedd roared, torn between clawing Tommy in half and impaling him.

Immediately, Jason materialized five yards outside of the ring.  “Enough, Zedd!” he yelled.

Zedd halted.  The rangers looked at Jason, even Richie.  Worry grew within them.

“I refuse!” Zedd declared, maintaining his grip.  “Not when we’re this close!”

“You’re close to dying!” Jason added.

Seething with shame and annoyance, Zedd turned away from Tommy and stabbed the ground with his staff.

“Return to the Chamber of Command!” Jason ordered his minions.  “This battle is over.”  Reluctantly, Zedd, Rita, Goldar, and Scorpina obeyed.  Jason peered at Richie. 

Inside his helmet, surprise possessed Richie.  Sweat built up upon his brow.

“The battle is won.  Congratulations, Richie.”  Without another word, he vanished.

 

* * *

 

 

No sooner had Jason materialized within the Chamber of Command, Zedd marched toward him, stopping his face only inches from Jason.  “I could have finished him!” Zedd snapped at Jason, boiling with fury.

“That battle was pointless when you lost your advantage,” Jason responded in a calmer fury.  “You would have lost or been destroyed if I hadn’t helped you.”

“I wanted that power ranger dead!” Zedd roared.

“He will die!” Jason bit back.  “All of them will.”

“All of those years planning for this, and we _lost!_ ” Zedd growled.  Furious, he struck the floor with his staff, sending four lightning bolts slithering across it.

Unfazed, Jason merely looked at Zedd.  “Trini was never there,” he simply said.

Zedd paused, forgetting his fury.  All eyes in the Chamber turned to Jason, curious to this new piece of news.  Even Rita’s interest perked up.  “What do you mean?” asked Zedd.

“Look at the Earth.”

“Out of my way, Goldar!” Rita shrieked, heading for her telescope.  Zedd turned around and fired his supervision at Earth.  “My lord, why did you allow this?” Rita asked.

“I… was curious,” Jason replied.  “Now, because of that hesitation, we have a full ranger team to deal with.”

“We can still crush them!” Goldar shouted. 

“Be silent, Goldar,” Jason ordered.  “Today’s battle has tired all of us.  Continuing would have been pointless.  And there’s more.”

Forgetting his annoyance, Zedd glanced at his lord, curious.

“We must change out tactics,” Jason said.  “But not until after some rest and you hear what just happened.”

 

* * *

 

 

Meanwhile, back on Earth, Billy helped Sean up, putting Sean’s arm over his shoulder.

The rest of the rangers gaped at the new Yellow Ranger.  “Richie, is that really you?” Kimberly asked.

“Yes, Kimberly,” Richie said, nodding.

“Let us see each other through equal eyes,” Sean semi-slurred.  “Everyone morph back.”  They did.

Richie stared at them with widened eyes of honor.  Even though Trini had told him who they were, seeing their faces tore them from the abstract and sculpted them in reality.  “I meant it when I said Trini sent me,” he said.  “She’s staying at my place.  She’s safe.”

Some of them looked down, sad at this outcome.

“She’s not ready for this, is she?” Zack asked.

“Perhaps it is time for you to hear hers and Jason’s tale,” Sean supplied.

“That’s an understatement,” Zack responded.

“We’ll hear it,” Tommy said.  Like the rest of his friends, he was winded and tired.  “But not now.  With Richie joining us, everything’s changed—something Jason may not have expected.  For now, let’s get some rest.  All of us deserve it after today.”

Each of them nodded, murmuring agreements.

“We’ll meet again tomorrow—after your tests,” Tommy added to Rocky and Adam.

Rocky groaned.  “Oh, yeah.  Those.”

Adam playfully nudged him.

“Until then…” he placed his fist in the center.  Kimberly, Zack, and Billy, Rocky, and Adam placed their hands over it.  Sean laid his over the others’.  Richie hesitated.  “You’re a part of this team also, Richie.”  Tommy added, looking at him.  Each of the others smiled at him, welcoming him.  Gratified at this reception, Richie placed his hand over theirs.

“Power Rangers!” All of them chorused, jumping in unison.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With a unified team, things are starting to look good for the Rangers. However, Jason has no intent on giving up on his conquest of Earth. On the next episode, Jason changes tactics. Find out what he does in Episode V.


End file.
